Improvement in lubricators



W. W. W. WOOD.

Lubricator.

Patented May 12, 1863.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. W. WOOD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUBRICATO RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,526, dated May 12, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WM. W. W. WOOD, of the United States Navy, and now residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Oil-Cups; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in the use, substantially in the manner desc1ibed hereinafter, of a detachable siphon in connection with an oil cup, and as a substitute for the usual lampwick, for the purpose of avoiding the defects of the latter and for economizing the consumption of oil.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The figure in the annexed drawing, which forms a part of this specification, represents an ordinary oil-cup in section, with my in vention applied to and combined with the' same.

A represents the body of the cup; B, the detachable cover; 0, the hollow stem, the lower portion, a, of which is screwed or otherwise attached to the strap of a connecting-rod, to a pedestal, or to any part of a steam-engine or other machinery adjacent to a hearing which requires uniform lubrication. D is the usual internal tube, communicating with the interior of the hollow stem 0, the space between this tube and the inside of the body of the cup forming the receptacle for the oil.

In oil cups of this class it has been usual to employ an ordinary lamp-wick, a portion of which is suspended within the tube D, the other portion hanging over the edge of the tube and being immersed in the oil contained in the reservoir, the wick thus serving to convey a constant supply of oil to the bearing to be lubricated. By constant use the wick becomes clogged, in which state it is so uncertain a medium for conveying the oil to the bearing that its renewal is necessary. Constant attention is required with the View of discovering the efliciency or non-efficiency of the wick. Another objection to the use of a wick in this class of oil-cups is this: that when the engine or other machinery is stopped, and there is no further necessity for lubricating the bearing, with which the oil-cup communicates, the flow of oil to the bearing continues, and causes an unnecessary waste as long as the wick remains in the tube, and to remove the wick when a cessation of the flow of oil is required, and to replace the same when the flow of oil has to be continued, would require a manipulation too tedious to be resorted to.

My invention has been especially designed with the view of obviating these objections. Discarding the wick, I use a siphon, E, of glass or other suitable material, the long leg passing down the internal tube D, the bent portion of the siphon resting on the edge of this tube, and the short leg being immersed in the oil contained in the cup, as shown in the drawing. The termination of the long leg of the siphon is tapered, the opening through which the oil passes to the bearing being consequently reduced to the proper size necessary to allow the desired quantity of oil, and no more, to escape.

Although the siphon may be made of metal, I prefer the use of a simple glass tube, as being more cheap and cleanly, and as being readily broken at the tapered end when an opening of increased size is required for the escape of a larger quantity of oil. When a cessation of the flow of oil to the bearing is required, all that is necessary is for the attendant to unscrew the cap B, withdraw the siphon from the tube D and deposit it in the reservoir of oil in any position it will of itself assume. (See red lines in the drawing.) The siphon, being thus immersed in the oil, is 1- ways in a proper condition to assume the'desired functions when its long leg is again inserted into the tube D.

The utility of my invention has been fully proved by practical tests on the engines of war-vessels of the United States Navy, more especially on the engines of vessels of the several blockading squadrons, which remain at anchor with the steam up ready for instant movement. During the time the engines are thus at rest the use of wicks in the many oilcups involves the necessity of great waste of oil, which is obviated by the use of siphons, nection with an oilcup, for the purpose set as the letter can be readily rendered inoperaforth. tive when a "essel comes to anchor, and can In testimony whereof I have signed my name be as readily adjusted to perform their proper to this specification in the presence of two subfunctions when the vessel has to sail. scribing Witnesses.

I claim as my invention and desire to se- WM. W. W. WOOD. cure by Letters Patent- The use, substantially in the manner deszribed, of the detachable siphon E, in con- Witnesses:

HENRY HoWsoN JOHN WHITE. 

